COVID-19: Don’t Pay Anyone For Test -Health Minister

Nigerian Government has again said that no one should pay for running a test for COVID-19, asking citizens to report anyone who demands payment for such services.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said this on Monday, during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja.

“I wish to remind everyone that government-run testing for COVID-19 is free. Please report anyone who demands payment for necessary action,” he said.

The Minister pointed out that as of July 6, the country has recorded a total of 28,711 confirmed cases of the deadly virus.

He explained that 11,665 people have been treated successfully and discharged.

Ehanire disclosed that Nigeria has so far lost 645 fatalities to the disease.

He pointed out that June 2020 recorded half the total number of deaths recorded so far.

“It means that just under half of the total fatalities so far recorded occurred in that single month of June. While we more than doubled the tests done and the number of cases detected.

“The reduction in case fatality rate is down to about 2.2 per cent as opposed to about 5 per cent we have seen on global average,” he said.